Pregnant smokers 'programme' their babies

Babies whose parents smoke while pregnant may be programmed to become smokers, according to new research.

Children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy are three times more likely to start smoking before the age of 14, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal.

And mothers who give up smoking while pregnant, even if they resume the habit, are no more or less likely to have children who smoke, the study discovered.

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The authors of the report said: "Our findings suggest a direct effect of maternal smoking during pregnancy on young adults' development of regular smoking and provide yet another incentive to persuade pregnant women not to smoke and to discourage young women from ever taking it up."

Mothers now have another good reason to give up smoking, at least until birth, the authors added.

Over 3,000 mothers in Brisbane, Australia were monitored over a period of 25 years for the study.

Smoking while pregnant increases the risk of a miscarriage by 27 per cent and the baby is more likely to have a respiratory illness or die in infancy.

Also, the mother is more prone to vomiting, urinary infections and general malaise if she smokes while pregnant.

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